That Librarian

When I checked this book out from the library, I expected to find -- and did! -- a detailed accounting of one librarian's efforts to combat censorship in small-town America. But Jones' book is more than that, as she writes movingly about her own life and how she reexamined her prejudices -- a journey that no doubt many of us could benefit from. Her honest look at her own background makes this book more than just a recounting of battles of board meetings. Libraries are a public good that enrich everyone's life, and in the coming years are probably going to require a robust defense. Jones' work should inspire us, steel us for the reality of what lies ahead, and provide guidance for how to act when the book banners come to your neighborhood. Jones does not shy away from reality, but also provides hope.